


Thankfulness

by ShakespearianBlondie



Category: Legally Blonde - All Media Types, Legally Blonde - Hach/O'Keefe/Benjamin
Genre: And everything is right in the world, Cute, Emmett and Elle are in love, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Legally Blonde, after the trial
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-16
Updated: 2018-11-16
Packaged: 2019-08-24 15:13:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16642634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShakespearianBlondie/pseuds/ShakespearianBlondie
Summary: "« I… I’m gonna see you later. »As soon as the words left his mouth, Emmett became very much unsure whether it had been a good idea to pronounce them."Your typical what-happened-after-Warner's-proposal-and-how-did-Emmett-and-Elle-confessed-their-love-to-each-other One-Shot.





	Thankfulness

« I… I’m gonna see you later. »

As soon as the words left his mouth, Emmett became very much unsure whether it had been a good idea to pronounce them. They had just won the trial, Elle proving everyone – especially Warner and Callahan – that she was so much more than a pretty blonde. Of course, Emmett knew since quite some time now that Elle Woods could not be defined by the colour of her hair. And he was also aware that the feelings that had come to grow inside of him were more than mere affection or friendship. He was in love with her. And for a brief moment, when she ran into his arms to celebrate their victory, when he pressed her against him so tightly and lift her up with the biggest smile of his face, and then when he put her down and their faces were so close he could feel her breath on his skin… He was going to kiss her, he really was. Something felt right about the moment, the atmosphere. It was going to be a perfect first kiss, everything that Elle deserved after all the crap she had been through.

But he saw Warner. And Emmett knew by the look on his face that he wanted to talk to his ex-girlfriend and could not bring himself to deny him this. Perhaps he pitied him. Perhaps he wanted Elle to be happy more than anything, even if that meant going back to that rich prick. But deep down, Emmett felt that Elle needed closure with Warner. After all, the guy was the very reason she even went to Harvard to begin with. So he decided to withdraw himself from the room and give these two some privacy. He tried to sound confident when he smiled at Elle before exiting the building, even though he was deeply scared of what would happen when he would be out of sight. Just before the door closed, he turned his head one last time and he could not help but feel a twitch in his stomach. Warner was on one knee, a ring in his hand and a look on his face that left no place to doubt: _he was proposing to Elle._

She could not say _yes_ to him, not after all that happened. It was not even about Emmett and her, it was just common sense! The guy treated her like she was just a pretty girl to have some good time with but broke up with her in the most cruel way just to serve his ambitions. He took every opportunity he could to make fun of her, proposed to another girl in front of her (poor Vivian, she was so much better without him!) and now that the entire world could see that the colour of her hair did not define her intelligence, he wanted her back? Emmett groaned to himself as he was wandering around the Harvard campus, not even remembering how he got there. Without thinking, he had found himself next to the very bench where it all began. He remembered Elle and her bunny costume, his sweater around her – that she never gave back, not that he complained, and the conversation they have had about ambitions and working to be the best. It seemed like it was forever yet it had only been a few months. What an interesting journey it had been, for the both of them.

Emmett sat on the bench like he did months ago, tilted his head back so that he only saw the sky and sighed. He had been so wrong about her at the beginning, thinking she was an over-romantic woman with just enough brain cells to go shopping. And Elle had defeated every expectations by proving herself to be not only smart and hardworking but also kind, funny and with a generosity beyond measures. She went as far as buying a brand new – and oh so expensive – suit just to say _Thank you_. That was when Emmett began to understand that he did not looked at her as a friend anymore. And by the way she looked at him and smiled that day, he also began to hope the feeling was mutual.

“A penny for your thoughts?”

Emmett did not need to turn his head to recognize the sound of this voice. It was her. He gently smiled as he looked at her.

“Isn’t it little Miss Woods comma Elle, intern of the year and probably one of America’s future greatest lawyer?”

Elle softly chuckled and sat next to him.

“You’re not so bad yourself, Mister Emmett Woods, licensed attorney and exceptional man.”

Emmett felt a strange warmth spread in his entire body when his name crossed her lips. It sounded so much nicer when it was being said by Elle.

“I think we both know who the exceptional person is.” He simply said, before adding “And I do believe this day has been more yours than mine.”

“This day would not exist without you Emmett.” Elle looked at him with a grateful gaze “Your help and your support are the only reasons that I’m here and I would have never been able to win this case if I had not met you.”

“I’m sure you would have found a way to prove that Brooke was innocent all along, even without me.” Emmett grinned, “By the way, I’m not the one who is a hair expert.”

“Any Cosmo reader would have guessed that there was no way this girl would have such perfect curls if she took a shower so shortly after getting a perm!” Elle shrugged

“But you are not any Cosmo reader.” Emmett simply answered “You’re Elle Woods.”

He did not needed to say more. The way her name sounded in his mouth was enough to betray his deepest secret. But Emmett did not blushed nor did he made a joke or found a way to change the topic of the conversation. He looked at Elle. She looked at him. Both quiet, their silence speaking louder than anything.

Finally, Emmett spoke again:

“So. How is Warner?”

Elle took her time to answer, probably trying to find the right words. Even though in the deeps of his being, Emmett knew he had nothing to fear; the seconds before the blonde finally opened her mouth seemed like minutes.

“I think he will be fine.”

Emmett waited for her to develop her answer, not wanting to push her to tell her story if she did not wanted to.

“He proposed to me.”

And before the dark-haired man could say anything, she added

“I said no.”

“Why?”

He could not help it. He needed to know. Emmett wanted answers, crystal clear ones. Winning back Warner had been her sole motivation for so long and even though it was pretty noticeable to everyone – Elle excepted, of course – that the guy was a jerk; in a way, Emmett could understand the attraction. Warner was conventionally beautiful, rich and he exulted self-confidence. Emmett saw himself as the exact opposite. That Elle chose to deny something that she had dreamed of for so long was quite a bold move. He was too curious to refuse to see the motivation behind.

“Why would I agree to marry Warner?” Elle’s question was serious.

“I don’t know.” Emmett shrugged again. “I thought he was all you wanted.”

“I thought too.” Elle turned her face away from Emmett “But it’s funny how sometimes life finds a way to make you look at things… in a different light.” She faced him again, with a half-smile “I used to think I would never leave Malibu. And here I am, living in Boston. I used to think I would be somebody’s wife. And here I am, realizing I just want to be a lawyer. I used to think Warner was the love of my life. And here I am…”

Her words vanished into the air. She looked so at peace with herself and the world at this very moment that Emmett did not dare to pursue his interrogation. He observed her, this little blonde woman that had turned out to be the greatest adventure of his life.

“And in a way, I owe it all to you.” Elle’s voice rang again to his ears “You’re the one that taught me everything here. You taught me the value of hard work, you taught me the importance of being true to yourself and to never settle for less than what you deserve, you taught me about love…”

The last sentence was said on a softer tone that made Emmett shiver with hope. He kept looking at here, his gaze becoming more and more intense as Elle stared back.

“You’re the one that taught me about love.” His left hand moved precociously from his own knees to Elle’s hands as the right one made his way to the blonde’s face. “I never knew what that word _really_ meant before you.”

He was now playing with her golden locks, placing them one by one behind her ear. Elle’s face slightly shifted on the side so that her cheek would find her way into Emmett’s hand. Their faces were now inches apart, just like they were in the courtroom. But this time, inside of feeling ecstatic and proud, the pair felt at ease.

“Thank you.” Emmett said as he leaned towards Elle

“No, thank _you_.” She answered in a whisper.

 

And then, their lips met. It was a very sweet kiss at first, like they were both trying to express what they had been feeling for the last weeks. Emmett wanted Elle to feel cherished for who she was and not how she looked. Elle’s desire was to let Emmett know how much his support had meant to her. Their bodies followed their hearts and soon they were entwined, both refusing to let the other go. Emmett’s hands were now cupping Elle’s face and her own fingers were playing in his slick-backed hair. As they continue their embrace, the kiss grew more intense and soon they were both out of breath. Emmett could feel her warmth radiate from her body, the softness on her lips on his, the way she moved to be even closer to him… Elle was driving him crazy and even though he was kind of ashamed of it, he could not help but finding himself wanting more and more and more…

Finally, when the necessity to breath again began vital, they broke the kiss but not the embrace. Elle rested her forehead on Emmett’s, her hands sliding from his hair to his neck and shoulders. They both had a gleam in their eyes that was not there before.

“I am so much in love with you.” Emmett broke the silence.

“And I am so much in love with you too.” Elle answered before landing her lips on his again.

Nothing else needed to be said. They both knew that the English language did not conveyed enough words to describe what was happening at this very moment. The fresh Bostonian night even seemed to become warmer and Emmett swore the stars never looked brighter. He felt so at ease when he was with Elle, like he was home, like he belonged. Everything seemed natural: her, him, them… like it was meant to be.

Emmett did not considered himself to be a romantic. In fact, growing up without a father and with a mother that did not had the best taste in men had lead him to consider love as a futile thing that caused more harm than it did good. Plus, with his jobs and law school, he clearly did not had the time nor the will to engage in a serious relationship. And then he had met Elle. And everything had changed.

“What are you thinking about?”

Emmett found his way back to reality to notice their kiss had come to an end and that Elle was looking at him with curiosity, softly stroking his cheek.

“You.” He took one of her hands in his and dropped a soft kiss on its back. “How my life has been changed since you showed up.”

“I hope it’s for the best then.”

 Even though Elle was smiling, Emmett had this feeling that it was a genuine question. She needed to be reassure that she was not a burden to him. Damn, Warner breaking up with her had really left its marks.

“Elle” He was now holding both of her hands in his owns “Since the very first day we met you defied all of my expectations. I never thought I would get to know what I feel when I am with you.” Elle blushed but did not looked away, “I mean… I don’t know how to say this, Elle. There is no ruling or legal precedent that I can quote to explain how much you matter to me.” It was Emmett’s turn to blush, showing this side of him was arduous for him, as he was not used of letting down his guard. But Elle was worth unveiling a little bit more about himself. “When I thought you were going to leave Harvard and go back to California, I…”

“I’m here now.” Elle squeezed his hands as she smiled at him. “I’m here and I’m never leaving. Not as long as you want me here.”

Emmett chuckled and leaned towards her.

“I will never not want you here with me.”

 

* * *

 

 

Emmett and Elle were now heading towards Paulette’s salon, where Brooke had decided to throw an “ _out-of-jail party_ ”. Without noticing, they were holding hands and it felt so natural to Emmett that he did not questioned it.

“So, what are we going to do now?”

“Well, I guess I need to find another job. I mean, I did kind of quit mine a few hours ago.”

Emmett had totally forgotten this. After all that happened during the last twenty-four hours – Elle being assaulted by Callahan and then threatening to leave, her coming back and winning the trial, Warner’s proposal and her refusal, their kiss – he frankly did not cared about it.

“Oh my God Emmett!” Elle gasped “You lost your job because of me!”

“Hey…” He stopped, making her twist on the side so she would face him. “It’s alright. It’s nothing. There is no way in the world I would have continue to work for someone who abuses of his power. Especially when he… when he…” Emmett could not say those words. The mere thought of what Callahan had done to Elle made him sick with rage. “I’m sure I will find a new job soon.” He simply said, trying to evacuate the need to punch his former teacher/boss in the face.

“I know you will.”

Elle agreed with a nod and she stood on tiptoe to seek a kiss. Emmett happily obliged.

 

* * *

 

 

Emmett had dreaded that he would feel out of place at Paulette’s. He had never been very at ease with large groups of unknown people, especially when alcohol was involved. Given the fact that he never had the time or will to spend money on drinks, it was no surprise that Emmett Forrest could not hold his liquor. So he decided to play it smart and sipped on his beer as slowly as he could while Elle introduced him to every person in the room.

Of course he already knew Paulette – who looked delighted when she noticed the way Elle had wrapped her fingers around Emmett’s arms – and Vivian and Enid were also there, in full discussion with Brooke. But then, Elle decided that Emmett _had_ to meet the Delta Nus girls, who were all very excited to meet the “ _dark, tall, handsome lawyer that Elle could not stop to talk about_ ”. (Him? Handsome?)

But things got a little bit fraught when Emmett found himself facing Mr and Mrs Woods.

“Mom, Dad,” Elle sounded so excited to introduce them, “This is Emmett. Emmett, this is my parents.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Emmett” Mr. Woods gave him a firm but gentle handshake.

“We heard so much about you.” Added Mrs. Woods with a smile.

“The pleasure is all mine.” Emmett could feel his cheeks reddening and he wondered if the alcohol or his anxious nature was to be blamed. “You must be so proud of your daughter.”

“Oh, stop it!” Elle nudged him with a chuckle, “I’m gonna get us some drinks while you get to know each other.”

And with a wink, she was gone. Emmett swallowed, but before he could find a topic to ramble about, Mrs0 Woods said with humour.

“My husband used to say that Law school was for boring, ugly, serious people. Of course now that we had met you, I can definitively say that the only adjective that applies to you is ‘serious’.”

“Mrs. Woods…”

“We can not thank you enough for what you did for our daughter, Emmett.” It was Elle’s father’s turn to speak. “Of course we used to love Warner but…”

“But what he did to Elle, the way he treated her as if she was nothing but a doll… This young man is nothing but pathetic!”

“Nevertheless, without him and their breakup, she would never had followed him to Harvard and discovered that she would want to be a lawyer.”

“And she would never had met you.” Mrs. Woods face softened. “And for your encounter, I am still thankful to Warner, in a way.”

This last sentence left Emmett speechless. Of course he wanted to say many things, like how he was the lucky guy here and that meeting Elle had probably been the greatest event in his recent years. He wanted to argue that Elle would have done all without his help, that she had done so much for him also, the he loved her and…

“So, what are you guys talking about?”

Elle had just come back with two glasses of red wine and handed one to Emmett before putting one arm around him a resting her head against him.

“Thankfulness.” Simply said Emmett, tightening the embrace, “We were talking about thankfulness.”

He could not have find a better word to describe what he was feeling at this very moment. Emmett Forrest was thankful.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I discovered Legally Blonde: The Musical two weeks ago and I became pretty obsessed with it. After reading every fanfiction, I decided to write my own little guilty pleasure. Of course it's not original and probably full of errors (pardon my poorly written English, for I am French) but I still wanted to share it.  
> Please let me know if you liked it and what could be improved! It will definitively not be my last LBTM work so any criticism is good to hear!


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